There is a saying that I have in a beautiful frame in my bedroom. It reads: “Before you ask for anything, thank Him for everything.” I have it located in a prominent place where I see it every morning as I get up to start my day. Before I get busy; before all the noise starts in my head; before the worries rush in; before the demands of the day begin to pull me in many directions, those words remind me to be thankful.
When I take a minute to look at all my blessing; when I am reminded of what God has done for me; when I didn’t know what to do but prayed and everything turned out okay; when I know that I have had many more good days than bad days, there is reason to be thankful. When I know there are many who truly love me, there is reason to be thankful. When I have survived the panic, pressures and pain that have accompanied the Pandemic, and survived the political madness and the social unrest of 2020, there is reason to be thankful. Thanksgiving is a precious holiday celebrated far and wide. It’s beneficial to take some time to reflect on our blessings. It is important for us to look back over our lives and take inventory of all we have to be thankful for. It’s wise for us to cherish those who love us and show it. It’s helpful to remember from whence we’ve come and thank God for our accomplishments, our successes and all the lessons we’ve learned. We can thank the Lord for so many things: for family, for friends, for life, for breath, healing, daily provisions, for forgiveness, for joy, for hope, etc..... etc...etc...Our most precious gift next to God Himself are our loved ones. I have 4 grandsons and just thinking about them brings me joy. I don’t have to see them to feel happy. I smile at the thought of them. I’m thankful. When I walk into my 93 year old mother’s bedroom and see the joy on her face at seeing me, I’m thankful. When my daughter and a dear friend volunteer to take the business calls at night so I can get proper rest, I’m thankful. When my other daughter FaceTimes me so I can see the boys, and her one year old says “Hi Nana”, I’m thankful. When my deaconess sisters send me a card to encourage me, I’m thankful. When my dear husband who is housebound says “I love you and thank you for loving me”, I’m thankful. Express your thankfulness everyday! Pay it forward and bless someone else as a result of you being blessed. Cherish those that love you and let them know you cherish them while they are in the land of the living. Demonstrations of love are wonderful after a person has passed away but “Give me my flowers while I live.” There is not enough room in this newspaper or any other newspaper to list all the things I am thankful for. I challenge you to write down your blessings on the tablet of your heart. There should be enough room there. Be Thankful and Happy Thanksgiving! [Gail Valentine Taylor, M.S.W. Funeral Director Woods-Valentine Mortuary 1455 N. Fair Oaks Ave. Pasadena, CA 91103 (626) 798-8941 gailt@woodsvalentinemortuary.com.] |
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